Immigration officers make eight arrests in Northern Ireland

Eight people have been arrested in Northern Ireland within the last 24 hours by immigration enforcement officers from the Home Office.

Eight of the arrests were made at two separate takeaway food outlets in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh.

Officers discovered four people working illegally at the Hong Kong takeaway on Belmore St. They also found two illegal workers at China City on Forthill St.

In separate investigations, two men were arrested at both Belfast airports.

The immigration enforcement officers, supported by the PSNI, detained a 30-year-old Algerian man who was due to fly from Belfast International Airport to London.

At Belfast City Airport, they arrested a 55-year-old Nigerian man who was due to fly to Manchester.

The men were detained after the officers checked their immigration status and discovered that both were in the UK illegally.

Penalty notice
All of the arrests were made on Thursday and all eight people are being held in a Home Office detention centre in Larne, County Antrim.

A spokesman for the Home Office Borders and Immigration section said steps were being taken to “remove them to their home countries”.
Four people were arrested at the Hong Kong takeaway in Enniskillen
Those arrested at the Hong Kong takeaway included three Chinese men aged 25, 34 and 47 and a 34-year-old Chinese woman.

At the China City takeaway, the detainees were two Chinese men aged 27 and 43.

The spokesman said both businesses have “each been served with a penalty notice for employing the illegal workers”.

In a statement, Mike Golden of the UK Border Agency, said: “Foreign nationals who are in this country illegally should be in no doubt that they will be found, arrested and removed from the UK.

“We are determined to crack down on immigration offenders and anyone found living or working here illegally is liable to be detained and removed.”